Welcome to the final part of my special two-year anniversary series — the end of the journey.
This installment is about following your heart and discovering what truly matters to you. The answers are often already inside; you just need to pay attention.
If you haven’t read Part 5 you can catch up with it here.
Give it Away.
I’ve always felt a strong urge to help others. Maybe that’s one reason I started blogging: there are few sensible reasons to invest so much time and money into creating content for an audience when there is no immediate payoff. I’ve often said I’d like to be wealthy simply so I could give money away. The impulse to share and donate has been with me for as long as I can remember.
And Help Others.
Over time I realised photography is a major stumbling block for many bloggers. I had experience: I did photography twenty years ago, worked in a camera shop and studied design at university. I began blogging with a good understanding of studio lighting and camera controls, and when I applied those skills to food photography things started to click.
Putting two and two together, I realised I could teach other bloggers photography and feel fulfilled sharing what I know. Helping others improve their imagery can open new directions for their blogs and lives, and that idea motivated me to create a place where bloggers can learn practical, professional skills.
I recently launched the Blogger Skills Academy, focused on delivering courses tailored to bloggers. I’ve started with photography and plan to expand into other specialised classes that relate directly to running and growing a blog.
Fact 8. I have a large birthmark on the back of my neck and my blonde hair is completely natural; people even stop me in the street to ask.
Money, or Not.
M. Scott Peck observed that meaningful achievement comes from a position of love. If your actions are motivated by money, possessions or status, they rarely lead to the same personal growth. That idea resonates with my approach to building a blogging career.
Blogging shouldn’t be reduced to the quickest way to make money, the easiest path to brand collaborations, or simply chasing followers. I’ve always felt uneasy about banner adverts on my site — they seem to serve only those focused on profit. My view of monetising a blog differs from the typical model because I believe motivation and values matter.
Fact 9. I had my last alcoholic drink on 25th December 2013 after twenty years of weekly drinking and haven’t regretted the decision once.
Find Your Future.
To build a career from blogging, start a blog and work on it consistently. Identify the aspects that excite you and double down on those. Stop doing tasks you dislike, or delegate them if they’re essential. Don’t obsess over traffic or follower counts. Create what you want to create, not what you think others expect.
Learn to tell the difference between genuine dislike and the discomfort that comes from a challenge that makes you grow. Both feelings can make you want to stop, but one is worth pushing through. Don’t feel compelled to follow trends or do what everyone else recommends. I stopped posting two recipes a week because it stressed me out; now I do one recipe and one opinion piece. My traffic dropped, but my enjoyment of the blog increased.
Your blog should be your independent creative space; don’t let someone else’s needs or payroll change that.
If you keep creating and take up every relevant opportunity, you can find a career via blogging. If opportunities don’t arrive, seek them out. My first paid writing job came from emailing a company and asking if they would pay me to write for them — they said yes. My blog served as my CV and portfolio.
This path can lead in many directions. The independent nature of blogging holds intrinsic value; it’s worth protecting. By not tying my site directly to monetisation, I retain control and the freedom to publish whatever I want, whenever I want, without income-driven pressure tied to traffic.
Fact 10. I’m 38 years old as I write this and I was born in a hospital in Wimbledon, South West London.
It’s All in You.
The best way to build a blogging career is to identify what you love and keep practising. The things that truly matter are often the hardest to face. The resistance you feel is often a sign that you’ve found something meaningful that will help you grow if you persist.
When you’re working late into the night and feel like giving up, remember you’ve probably reached a milestone of personal change. That frustration can mean progress. Keep going.
Consider blogging as an art and a practice rather than a route to quick income. Let it be a way to discover your role and find happiness. A career can emerge from this if you work hard, listen to yourself and stay committed. When faced with a decision, choose the path that opens you to the world and treats others with compassion. It may sound idealistic, but following that advice will help you avoid getting stuck.
Accept the opportunities and ideas that come your way. If something occurs to you, write it down. Your mind will keep returning to ideas it cares about until you act on them, so listen and follow the ones that resonate.
That’s probably why you read this — now it’s over to you. Good luck.
Gavin